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Is There a Minimum Size for Paper to Be Recycled?

Is there a minimum size for paper to be recycled? And can I recycle the paper bags sugar and flour come in? Can they be recycled with newspaper?

-Leslie H.

Dear Leslie,

When it comes to putting paper in your recycling bin, there generally isn’t a minimum required size for the paper. However, shredded or small pieces of paper may not be recyclable because the paper fibers might be too short to be made into new products. Because of this, some municipalities and waste haulers will not accept shredded paper — always check first. Paper fibers get shorter every time the paper is shredded, torn, or recycled. Eventually, the fibers get too short to be usable in new products, even for low-grade paper like newsprint. Before you put shredded or small pieces of paper in your recycling bin, consider reusing it or composting it instead.

Your soup can labels and the paper bags for sugar and flour are all perfectly recyclable. Just make sure the paper is dry and clean, without food contamination. If it is, you can recycle it along with other paper recyclables like newspaper.